Finger grip for handles of tools



Oct. 20, 1953 R. H. DELL ,655,9

' FINGER GRIP FOR HANDLES OF TOOLS Filed March 18, 1950 2 sheets-Sheet iInventor: v gussellflflgll s.

Oct. 20, 1953 R. l-EDELL 2,655,963

' v FINGER GRIP FOR HANDLES OF TOOLS Filed March 18. 1950- 2 shets-sheei 2 fizdenl'ar: Russell liDell Patented Oct. 20, 1953 2,e55,9ss rgger; earl; on HANDLES F TOOLS Russell H. Dell, Stonington, Conn,assignor to Bostitch, 1110., Stonington, Conn, corporation of RhodeIsland Ap l es??? 18,1959, se ia NQ: has? 4 Qlaims. (01. 145-451) rhisinvention relates to finger-grips for the handles of tools ashammers,hamniertackers and other imp-lemnts i pQ d in the hand for operation bystriki'rie' t qw- The invention is partiodl'arly' directedto im; provedlatching meehs'te s emin resilient grips to the'han dles of tools on other objects to prevent them from slip mg or s'li'dinsthreong whilepermitting 'eehv'ehieht' remeveret the grips without splitting er"otherwise damaging the resilient' material from "whicl'i'th' grips arecon structed;

One object of the invention is to provide improved fast'ening'means toriise" with'tnhnlar or cot-like grip-s of rubber of'thelike'ehclosingthe handles of various types ofimplements whereby to prevent themfromsliding'th'e reon"andbecoming released when 'a' blow is strnckAnother object is to provide latching or fasten ing means of the typei'i'idi'cat'edwhioh may pere leased from the handleh'y pryihg the end ofthe flexible or resilient 'grip topeimit the grip to be slid off fromtheendof the handle.

Another object is toprovid improved fastening means of thetypeindicatedwhich mayibe operated to expand the grip for effecting itsremoval from thehandlewithoiit splitting'the'material or distortingthegrip' to render it i nsiiitahle for further use."

Another object is to provide fastening or attaching means for the-handgrips of tools er im;- plements adapted to bite intoth resilientmaterialof the grip underfthe pressure of the hand when the tool orim'plem ent'is gripped therein for operation.

' Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following'specifieation which describes "a preferred form of eonstrub'tion' ofthfastening means for the grips with" certain modifications therein asillustratedby the accompanying draw ings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a common type of hammer-tacker'or'staple-driving implement showing its handle 'enblosd' b'v'a resilientgrip for holding it to strike its forward end against the Work; H

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view showing a per;- tion of the handle withthe grip seen'red thereto by means of the presntfimproved attachingorfastening means;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of thehammerehandle taken eh line 3 ,3 of Fig. 2 andjillnstra ing theattaching means for the resilient e papplied theret I 'Fi'g; 4'is agreatly enlarged transverse sectional view through the end of thehandle-hammer showing the attaching or fastening means for the gripm etn--.

Fig. 5 is agratly enlarged longitudinal sec; tional view on 'lin'ef3%3"or Fig." zsh w'ihg' the metal latching-blade with its d'ete'nt' meansfor fastening the resilient -grip to'tliehandlm H Fig'fd'isan'enlargedperspective View of the metal latching blade 'in'cerporating the detjeri't meahs for fastening the" resilient grip to the Fig. 7 is atransverse sectional view of the handle and its e'hClo'sih'g'grip'; i 1'1 Fig. 8 is an'e'ndview o'f'the tubular grip showing the slotstherein'for'th'e latching-blade which fastens it tothe'handlej Fig. 9 isan 'enlargedsectional detail view showing the means for engaging'the"b1ade' with'the resilient mater-ialof'th'e 'g'r'ipj" Fig. 10' is alongitudinal "sectional view Similar to Fig. 3 illustratin the method ofr'fe'leasing the dete'rlt means "o'f"tne lat'chingfblade from thehandle; M e

Fig. 11 is a similar View showing the detent means released andthe grippartially slid off from the end orthehahdieg" Fig. '12is' anehlargedside view of a portion of the implementliandle illustrating a modifiedform'of attaching means for the grip;'

Fig. 1 3' is a'io'ngit'udihal "sectionarview of this latter modifiedform of "constrliction of the at; tachin means'f E Fig'ie is a;perspective view of the attaching means or'latching blade eiriljodyingthedetent means for securin t e grip 'tdthe 'handlej and Fig. 15 is'anenlar'ged longitiidin'al setional view of a portion" ofthehandl eandgrip,"show n. with the last-mentioned modi ed termet blade .orattachingmeans for the grip.

Hammer-like toolsi" such as hammer-tackers for driving nails,fsta'ple's'alndthe like, er usteuy constructed of metal; gtammesteei;with" 'r..e'- silient hand-grips applied "to their handles so that they'mey'be eia'me'r see ir iyih'the'heiid and operated more efleetna llywithout slipping, and 'furtherto" prevfit 'inii lify to tih e eherete 'sr'nhher', .is sip use, slich grips are] I .'t slip and slide on thehandles and in re e conditionsallowthe tool or implemQil t t from.tjhelhar'idht t at it has been ,a com .n pra tice to beme i oi" the thegrips to the metal hehtues er the im lements.

In certain cases, as for example where the implements are made ofsheet-metal with the handles of two cooperating sections held togetherin overlying relationship, it is necessary to remove the hand-grips toseparate the parts for access to the interior in repairing or replacingcertain elements of their mechanism. When the resilient grip is glued orcemented in place on the handle it is practically impossible to removeit therefrom without considerable stretching and in some cases splittingthe material of the grip so that it becomes damaged and unsuitable forreplacement on the handle.

To overcome the above-mentioned difficulties in the use of resilientgrips on the metal handles of tools and the like the present inventionprovides a novel form of attaching means for the grips which preventsthem from slipping or sliding on the handles, yet allows them to bereadily and conveniently removed therefrom without damage so that theymay be replaced to continue in use.

In general, the present invention consists in providing a thin metalblade or latch inserted between the resilient wall of the grip and themetal handle and provided with detent means for holding the grip fromsliding r slipping on the handle. Preferably, the end of the blade mayhave one or more prongs or teeth for biting into the resilient materialof the grip to secure the blade thereto, and as a further improvementthe terminal portion of the blade may have an outwardly inclined lip toprovide an opening in the end of the grip for the insertion of a pointedtool such as a screw-driver for prying the detent means out ofengagement with the metal handle. The detent means may take differentforms such as a tooth or projection engageable in a slot or opening inthe metal handle to cause it to be forced thereinto under the pressureof the resilient material of the grip,

Referring to the present drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a conventionaltype of hammer-tracker comprising a two part rectangular metal handle 2terminating at one end in an enlarged head 3, within which is enclosedthe mechanism for feeding and driving U-shaped staples in fasteningshingles to roofs, carpets to floors, shades to rollers, labels tocases, and many other similar uses. For providing a firm hold on thehandle 2 so that it may be held in the hand in striking blows to drivethe staples into the work a resilient fingergrip of tubular form isusually slipped on over the handle to enclose the latter. The grip 5 maybe molded from rubber, either natural or synthetic, or constructed ofsimilar relatively flexible material and shaped to fit the hand, asshown in Fig. 7, with ribs or flutes 6 extending longitudinally of itssides. The ends of the grip 5 may be bounded by beads 7 with the surfaceof the main portion of the grip of generally convex contour to provide aconvenient hand-hold thereon.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 6, the present attachingmeans is embodied in a relatively fiat, metal plate or blade [0 adaptedto overlie one side of the tubular handle 2 within the side wall of thegrip 5. For this latter purpose the interior side wall of the grip 5 isformed with a longitudinally-extending slot II and a narrower slot l2 inone side thereof. The blade Ill is of a width to adapt it to be held inthe slot II and is provided at one end with an inclined tab or ear [4projecting into the narrow slot [2. At this end of the blade ID anarrowed portion projects forwardly and is bent at right-angles to form4, a prong or detent-projection [5 for engagement in a transverse slot[6 in the side of the handle 2. The purpose of the upwardly-bent tab orear I4 is to provide a beveled opening or re-entrant space for theinsertion of the blade of a sharp tool such as a screw-driver, see Fig.10, for prying this end of the blade or latch l0 outwardly to remove thedetent-prong l5 from the slot 18 so that the grip 5 may be'slide offfrom the end of the handle 2 in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 11.

To provide a secure connection between the grip 5 and the blade or latchI0, the end of the blade opposite from that formed with the detent-prongI5 may be bent upwardly to provide a holding edge IT for biting into theresilient material of the grip to prevent the latter from slipping orsliding along the blade, see Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 3, usually the forward end of the grip 5 abuts theshoulder I8 formed by the end of the head 3 of the implement to preventthe grip from sliding forwardly on the handle 2 and the edge I! of thebent end of the blade acts to prevent it from sliding or slippingrearwardly thereof. In this way the grip 5 is securely held and latchedto the handle 2 by means of the detent l5 at its outer end. Theformation of the bent forward end of the blade or latch it engages inthe resilient material of the grip 5 at a point midway of the ends ofthe latter so that the pressure of the hand and fingers surrounding thegrip has a tendency to compress the resilient material to maintain theedge I1 of the blade firmly embedded therein.

Figs. 12 to 15 of the present drawings illustrate a modified form ofconstruction of the latch or blade 20 as shown in the perspective viewFig. 14. In this embodiment of the invention the blade 28 has portionsin the form of teeth 2| slitted from its lateral edges and bent upwardlyin inclined relation to cause these elements to bite into the materialof the grip 5, see Figs. 13 and 15, so as to prevent the grip fromsliding forwardly on the handle 2. This form of construction may be usedwhen the grip 5 is to be applied to the handle of an implement in aposition displaced rearwardly from the head of the latter. That is tosay, where the forward end of the grip does not abut any shoulderedformation on the handle to hold it from sliding forwardly the blade 28may be used to resist its movement in that direction; the blade 20 beingotherwise of the same shape and formation as the blade [5 firstdescribed.

With either form of construction of the blade or latch-element II] or 20the resilient grip 5 is securely held from sliding on the handle yet,

when occasion requires, it may be easily removed therefrom by prying thedetent end of the blade upwardly to release the detent-prong 15 for theholding slot I6 as shown in Fig. 10. With the present improved latchingmeans grips of various types and formation may be secured firmly to thehandles of different implements while also being adaptable for use withother articles. For example, the latch may be constructed of arcuateform in cross-section to adapt it to be used for fastening the grips ofbicycles to tubular handlebars. Other uses may suggest themselves, forexample for fastening grips to the handles of mowing machines or otherarticles in which such a form of handle is employed.

It is to be understood that while the invention is herein shown in apreferred form of construction with one modification thereof, othervariations may be made in the construction of the latching devicewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as expressedin the following claims. Therefore, without limiting myself in thisrespect, I claim:

1. In combination with a handle member having a resilient grip of rubberor like material enclosing the same, means for securely fastening thegrip from displacement on the handle consisting in a metal latchembedded in the material of the grip and provided with detent meansengaging a slot in the handle, said latch formed with a tab at its endprojecting upwardly in inclined relation at the side of the detent meansto provide for the insertion of an instrument into the end of the gripto pry the detent means out of its holding slot.

2. Latching means for attaching grips to the handles of tools,implements and other articles, in combination with a resilient tubulargrip of rubber or the like surrounding said handle, said grip formedwith a longitudinally-extending recess in its inner wall, a latch metalextending longitudinally inside the recess in the wall of the grip andprovided with a portion of the metal inclined upwardly from the end ofthe latch for engaging in the material of the grip to hold the latchfrom sliding therein, detent means on said latch engageable in anopening in the handle to securely hold the grip from sliding on saidhandle, and a portion of the metal at the end of the latch projectingupwardly to provide a space thereunder for the insertion of aninstrument for prying the latch upwardly from the handle to release thedetent means.

3. Latching means for attaching resilient grips in place on the handlesof tools or other articles, said latching means comprising a metal bladeformed with. a projecting portion adapted to bite into the resilientmaterial of the grip on the interior thereof, said blade extendinglongitudinally of the handle and embedded in the wall of the grip, adetent-projection at one end of the blade engageable in a slot in thehandle to hold the grip from sliding or slipping on the handle, and aportion of the metal of the blade adjacent the detent-projectionprojecting upwardly to provide a space thereunder for the insertion ofan instrument to pry the end of the blade upwardly and release thedetent-projection.

4. In combination with a tool having a handle, a resilient tubular gripenclosing said handle and provided with a longitudinally-extending slotin its interior wall, a latch in said slot consisting in a relativelyfiat metal blade having a portion of the metal inclined upwardly fromits face for engagement with the interior wall of the grip and a pair ofadjacent teeth spaced from its inclined portion, one tooth extendingdownwardly to form a detent-projection for engagement in a slot in thehandle and the opposite adjacent tooth inclined upwardly to provide aspace above the detent-projection for the insertion of a tool to prysaid detent-projection out from the slot in the handle.

RUSSELL H. DELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 245,542 Moran Aug. 9, 1881 894,155 Layton July 21, 1908927,938 Braun July 13, 1909 2,158,728 Peters May 16, 1939 2,254,571Hailey Sept. 2, 1941

